


safe haven

by pettynaley



Category: The Legend of Tarzan (2016)
Genre: Aftermath of Violence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon Compliant, F/M, sort of??
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-09
Updated: 2017-06-09
Packaged: 2018-11-12 02:37:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11152464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pettynaley/pseuds/pettynaley
Summary: John and Jane try to move on from the horrors inflicted upon them by Leon Rom.Set right after Tarzan rescues Jane. Spoiler heavy.





	safe haven

**Author's Note:**

> Tarzan/Jane are one of my OTPs and I'm obsessed with the new movie, so here you go. Margot and Alex are perfect.   
> If you have tumblr, you can follow my account for them, @ladyclaytons. Enjoy!

Safe. They were both safe and in one piece. The tribes remained free and sovereign; their culture and way of life had been preserved. Leon Rom was dead and would never be able to hurt anyone again. Somehow, someway, things had turned out okay. John Clayton and George Washington Williams had saved them all through sheer will and stubbornness. 

Jane Clayton wrapped her arms around her husband, resting her head against his chest and listening to the beat of his heart as they laid side by side. The thumping sound put her at ease and draped a cloak of security around her shoulders. She still couldn't believe he was there; gratitude and love overwhelmed her mind, heart and soul. However, she'd known the entire time that John would come for her. It was the one thing Leon Rom had been right about. He was Tarzan and she was Jane, therefore nothing and no one could ever keep them apart. 

John and Jane were attempting to allude their demons with sleep in the makeshift shelter John had created under the security of the trees. The tribe had gathered a short distance from the destroyed colonial city to rest for the night before setting out for home the next morning. They'd all had an exhausting, terrifying couple of days. After a quick and meager dinner, everyone had disappeared into their tents to succumb to dreams, or rather nightmares. Other than the dim glow of embers on the fire, the area seemed deserted, empty. The silence was powerful as it seemed all slept except John and Jane. 

John brought his hand to her face, stroking the soft skin tenderly with care. He searched her eyes, for they needed no words to understand one another. "You can't sleep." He observed, keeping his voice low as to not wake anyone. 

"Neither can you." Jane replied, not missing a beat. She didn't want him to fuss over her, but with her husband, that was a nearly impossible task. He was always concerned about her. 

"I'm keeping guard. I refuse to lose you again." John informed Jane, sternly. "I can't lose you again." His eyes closed at the thought. He held her tighter after the moment passed.

"You didn't lose me. I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere. I'm safe." Jane reassured him, moving in closer. She questioned which of them needed to that comfort more. 

John nodded, though he still seemed worried. "I have so many enemies. You're not safe, not with me." He sighed, his guilt slipping into his tone. 

"I beg to differ. You saved me today. Without you, I wouldn't be here right now." Jane retorted, sitting up. Her jaw was set, defiant. This topic was not up for discussion. 

John sat up beside her, rubbing his face. "You wouldn't have been in this situation if it weren't for me." He said. His tone was angry, angry with himself that is. 

"Stop that! John, I was the stubborn one who insisted on coming with you. I knew the risks. None of this is your fault. The only person responsible is that psychopath Leon Rom." Jane snapped, raising her voice just enough to get through to her husband. He was the only person in the world as stubborn as she was. 

When John didn't respond right away, Jane leaned over and pressed her lips against his in a moment of passion. She cradled his face in her hands, fading into him. Climbing onto his lap, she wrapped her legs around his waist. She pulled back, keeping her face merely a few inches from his. "Listen to me: you are my husband, my hero, the best part of my life, and I love you. Nothing will ever change that. Nothing will ever make you anything less than an incredible man." 

John nodded, kissing her again and running his fingers through her hair. "I love you." He breathed against her lips when they pulled apart to breathe. 

Jane settled herself between his legs, resting against his chest. John intertwined their hands, kissing her knuckles. Jane sighed contentedly. After days of fear, danger and anxiety, the safety and protection of her husband's arms was the best feeling in the world. She never wanted to be separated from him. 

"Jane, you never answered my question. Why can't you sleep? You have to be exhausted." John mused, stroking her arms. He could never keep his hands off of her. He never had been able to resist her. There was just something so tempting and alluring about her that drew John in and left him defenseless against the desire to feel her skin. 

"I am, but I'm still afraid. I can't seem to stop thinking about how terribly things could have ended or what could have happened." Jane admitted, shuddering at the thought. She tried to force herself not to think about the many grotesque crimes Leon Rom and his men could have committed against her. Or her husband, for that matter. 

John observed the scrapes, cuts and bruises on her bare arms and frowned. "You have nothing to fear anymore, my love." He stopped and a troubled shadow befell his face. "Jane....did they hurt you? Did they.... touch you?" Jane noted the clouded look in his eyes; the very thought of this seemed to break his heart. 

Jane frowned as memories that felt blurred and hazy, like they'd happened to another person, washed over her; yet, they were also very distinct and so vivid that she knew she'd never forget what happened. It would always be there in the back of her head, waiting for an opportune moment to strike and remind her. 

"No, they didn't touch me." She shook her head as she said it so softly. Despite her being the embodiment of strength, Jane's lip trembled; these few days had quickly brought her to her breaking point. Throughout the entire ordeal, she'd been brave, tough, almost unfeeling in order to survive. Now those feelings were coming out. Her voice shook: "I was afraid of, um, that, happening. God, those men were vulgar and rude, but I think I handled them pretty well." 

Jane knew John was smiling proudly at the thought, despite the rage she could feel burning inside of him. 

Jane turned to look at John, removing herself from in his lap, to across from him. They continued to hold hands, his large one engulfing her tiny one. She wanted to be able to look in his eyes and know everything was going to be okay. John was her safe haven, the one she turned to in disaster, tragedy, hopelessness or fear. 

"Rom, he kind of protected me, I suppose. It sounds so twisted to hear, but it's true. One of the men told me that Rom was the reason I hadn't been 'serviced.' It's sick." Jane ran her hands through her hair, conflicted with herself as she stared at her bare feet. "I'm almost grateful to that monster." She laughed slightly at how crazy that sounded. Jane lifted her eyes to look at John. 

John was staring ahead, listening intently to her as he always did. Jane could see the fury within him. His jaw was locked in place, set. He was glowering. He cast his eyes in her direction, encouraging her to continue. 

Jane bit down on her still trembling lip. "Rom, I think he was a bit obsessed with me. That's narcissistic I know, but I wouldn't say that if it weren't true. He stared at me, like he was just admiring me, my brain. Whenever I fought back, he became more intrigued. I amused him. He just seemed fixated on having, keeping, me there." Jane trailed off, her eyebrows furrowing as she tried to piece together why. 

A growl left John's mouth, making Jane cut her eyes to him. He kicked at the dirt in front of him, scowling. "Glad the bastard's dead. Glad they're all dead, or wishing they were." He ground out in a burst of anger. 

Familiar with her husband's brutal and animalistic nature that was especially prominent when it came to her, Jane squeezed John's hand in an effort to calm him down. "I'm alright, John. Nobody hurt me." She said, quietly. "I was just scared." 

"That's reason enough for me to destroy every one of them!" John exclaimed, jumping to his feet. He paced around the remains of their fire, kicking at every harmless stone in his path. "I can't stop imagining what would have happened if I hadn't stopped Rom, or what would have happened without him, for God's sake." 

Jane stood, grabbing his arm. "John, please, don't think like this. It won't do anyone any good. You're only going to hurt yourself." She pleaded with him, hoping he'd understand and move on. 

He turned to look at her, mid-curse, and his face softened. Taking her face in his hands, he gazed at her, eyes ablaze. She gripped his muscular arms, closing her eyes. "Jane, look at me." He told her, desperately, and for once in her life, she listened. Breathless, she stared at him in wide-eyed awe. God, he was a handsome man. "You are the only person left in this world who loves me, genuinely and truly. You are my wife, my mate. The one thing that matters. It's my responsibility to protect you, to ensure your safety and provide for you. It’s what I was created to do. So, whatever you're feeling right now, I am, too. You can't tell me not to hurt when you're hurting as you say those very words. And you can't expect me not to be angry, to not want to every person who ever harmed you to suffer. It violates nature, my very instinct. Do you understand?" He spoke to her, his voice husky and deep, but velvety the way only John's could be. 

Jane's heart swelled and threatened to pound it's way out of her chest, because of his devotion to her. John Clayton would walk through hell, face the devil and battle a thousand storms all for her. Everything he did was for her. And she loved him for it. 

Jane kissed her husband passionately, forced to stand on her very tiptoes to even reach his lips. He bent down into her, his arms holding her tightly in their very own fortress. She curled her fingers in his shaggy hair and lost herself in the man she loved. She never wanted this to end; she never wanted to leave her safe haven.


End file.
